Paul Davis Ryan is an American politician who served as the 54th speaker of the United States House of Representatives from 2015 to 2019. A member of the Republican Party, he was the vice presidential nominee in the 2012 election with Mitt Romney, but they lost to incumbent President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden.
Official portrait, 2018
Paul Ryan with Chairman of the Republican Party of Wisconsin Reince Priebus and Priebus' wife, Sally in 2008
Official U.S. Congress portrait of Ryan in 2001
Official portrait by Leslie W. Bowman, 2018
Speaker of the United States House of Representatives
The speaker of the United States House of Representatives, commonly known as the speaker of the House, is the presiding officer of the United States House of Representatives. The office was established in 1789 by Article I, Section II, of the U.S. Constitution. By custom and House rules, the speaker is the political and parliamentary leader of the House and is simultaneously its presiding officer, de facto leader of the body's majority party, and the institution's administrative head. Speakers also perform various other administrative and procedural functions. Given these several roles and responsibilities, the speaker usually does not personally preside over debates—that duty is instead delegated to members of the House from the majority party—nor regularly participate in floor debates.
Speaker of the United States House of Representatives
Patrick McHenry acted as speaker pro tempore in October 2023, following the removal of Kevin McCarthy.
Frederick Muhlenberg (1789–1791, 1793–1795) was the first speaker.
Henry Clay (1811–1814, 1815–1820, 1823–1825) used his influence as speaker to ensure the passage of measures he favored.